Temporary binder



(No Model.)

D. MOYNAHAN.

TEMPORARY BINDER.

No. 427,350. Patented May 6, 18901 5 E 5 5 E N W W UNITED STATES 'ATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL MOYNAHAN, OF BROOKLYN, NEWV YORK.

TEMPORARY BINDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 427,350, dated May 6, 1890.

Application filed November 18, 1889. Serial No. 330,735. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL MOYNAHAN, a

citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Temporary Binders, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- A Figure 1 is a front perspective view of the inner sides of a partially-opened file hinder or cover containing my said improvements, showing only one leaf of paper therein on file D D, which leaf is broken away within the lines 5 a, so as to show the apparatus behind; and Fig. 2 is a cross-section of Fig. 1, taken at the line a: 0:, when Fig. 1 has been folded together, so as to bring the side covers A B into the position in which they are horizontal and parallel to each other.

In both drawings I have shown the covers considerably expanded, or separated from each other, in order to better illustrate the operation of my improvement, and have inserted in them, thus expanded, only one leaf of paper or material filed in order to avoid the concealment of the various parts of the 1 structure which would result from illustrating in the drawings the full number of leaves or material which would normally be bound within the covers when expanded to the extent shown in the drawings.

My invention relates to that well-known class of temporary binders which consists of two side cover-pieces A B, connected together by a back of flexible material C, and in which the proper retention in position of the material filed, as well as the other parts of the cover or binder in relation thereto,is effected by means of a cord 0 c, secured to one of the side covers, threaded through the filed material, and fastened in turn to the other side cover. An efficient and well-known way of securing said cord 0 o is, as shown in the drawings, to provide each edge of the side covers with a pair of oppositely-projecting pins a a a a, and the inside one of said covers B is also provided with belaying-pins b b. The cord 0 c is then half-hitched about the pair of pins on one cover A, and the ends, which are for convenience provided with needles n n, are then threaded through the matter to be filed, as at g g, and carried behind the pair of pins a a on the other cover B and thence carried to the belaying-pins b b. and there secured in the usual manner. The cord 0 0 being sufficiently long, a greater or less quantity of matter may be filed within the covers and the covers always kept closely pulled together upon the matter filed, whereby the same is firmly held in position, and the leaves thereof are presented in what is substantially book form for inspection and use. Such covers are therefore to a limited extent adjustable and they are easily opened and closed after being fastened into position upon the filed matter by reason of the easy play of the round pins CL 0. against the cord 0, whereby as the covers are opened or closed the said pins. revolve with slight friction against the said cord.

I wish it understood that the drawings do not illustrate a case in which the'file-covers have been pulled tightly together upon the filed material and secured in position by the cord 0. I have as aforesaid purposely represented in the drawings but one sheet of paper as filed upon the cord 0. The position of the parts, therefore, as illustrated in the drawings, could not be preserved as the cord is fastened unless sufficient sheets of material .were filed to completely fill allthat portion of the cord 0 which is shown in the drawings to extend between the opposite pins to a.

The hitherto-known temporary binder, such as I have described, is, however, seriously defective in the following respect: The two side covers A B have always been connected together, as aforesaid, by a flexible back O. Now, the object of the temporary binder such as I have described is to furnish, until permanent binding can be had, a temporary holder for matter to which additions are being constantly made, such, for instance, as copies of stenographic notes of testimony, newspapers, or periodicals, &c.

In actual practice a small portion only of the matter to be preserved is first filed within the covers, and thereafter from time to time the same are opened, the cords c 0 released, and threaded in turn through additional matter until the full limit of the capacity of the file hinder or cover has been reached. This limit of capacity has been heretofore entirely dependent upon the size or width of the strip of flexible backing uniting the inner edges of the two side covers A B, and it has heretofore always been permanently secured along both its longitudinal edges to the inner longitudinal sides of said covers. The result of this faulty construction has been toinconveniently limit the size of the file, the aforesaid limit of capacity of the covers being frequently reached before all the matter to be preserved had been filed therein, as aforesaid. But another conspicuous objection to the former method of construction was also due to the unadjustability of the flexible back. The back being permanently united along both of its longer or longitudinal edges with the inner edges of the rigid outside covers throughout the latters whole extent was necessarily unduly bulged in proportion as the said covers were brought nearer together, as when a few leaves of matter only were filed within the covers, and a very great amount of surplus backing was thus presented, which projected in an ungainly and undesirable manner from the rear of the sides.

The undesirable effect referred to will be easily understood by assuming that in Fig. 2 of my drawings the back C is immovably fixed to the sides AB at the points 0 0. Then, assuming that A B are brought closely together, as in a case where a few leaves of matter only are on file between them, it will be seen that the back O must necessarily project more and more outwardly in proportion as its ends 0 0 are brought together.

The object of my invention is to provide a temporary binder which shall obviate the objections described, and I have attained this object by means of the mechanism illustrated in the drawings, in which A B are rigid side covers provided with the before-described projecting pins a a a a, belaying-pins b b, and connecting-cord c 0. One of my side .covers, however, I construct so as to contain a recess R B, Fig. 2, the width of which recess shall be as nearly as possible the entire height of said side cover, and the depth of which recess may be made as great as convenient, regard being had to leaving between the portions of said side cover which'are separated by said recess suflicient connecting material to insure the required rigidity and strength. One side of said recess I provide with appropriate retaining mechanism adapted under normal conditions to resist the withdrawal of the matter from within the recess. The form of such retaining mechanism which I prefer to employ is shown in Fig. 2, and consists of the points or projections e e e e, secured to the inner surface of the sides of the recess. Both of said side covers might be provided with a similar recess to that described; but for ordinary purposes I find it sufficient, and, in fact, prefer to use only one recess in my apparatus, as economy is there by secured.

My improved back O is constructed of any suitable flexible material possessing the required strength. In a temporary binder constructed like those shown in the drawings that is, having only one recessed side cover- I permanently secure one of the longitudinal edges of said back 0 to the corresponding edge of the file-cover A, in the usual wellknown manner.

The back O is made as wide as may be desired, though of course in file-binders intended to commence with a file of a few papers the width of said back O should not exceed the depth of the recess in the other side cover B.

The free end of the back O, I insert within the recess throughout the entire length thereof and push the back within the recess to any extent which may be desired or required, according to the volume of the matter to be filed. The matter to be filed is threaded upon the cord 0 in the well-known manner, and the cord 0 is secured about the pins a a at the belaying-pins b in the usual way. After this has been done the exposed portion of the back 0 maybe exactly fitted to the file by pushing into the recess R all superfluous portions of such back. The friction of the inner surfaces of the recess R against the surface of that portion of the back O which is contained within the recess will in most cases, without other means, prove sufficient to retain the back in its proper position,it being observed, of course, that the back 0 is not intended to perform any part in actually holding together the filed matter and the binder, the tendency of the filed matter and binder to separate being resisted by the cord 0 and its attachments. However, as the back O is more or less likely to be pulled in handling the binder, I prefer to provide an additional mechanism for retaining the back in position. Any suitable means might be employed to resist the unintentional withdrawal of the back O. I have illustrated a device for this purpose which is effective and which I prefer, consisting of the projections e 8. Owing to their projecting in a backward direction, the points or corrugations e 6 will present no obstacle to the insertion, as aforesaid, of the back within the recess, but the said projections will engage with the back should its withdrawal from the recess be attempted, and will thus hold it in the exact position re quired until such time as a change is made in, the amount of matter contained upon the file.

The withdrawal of the back from the recess may be readily accomplished at any time by pushing the back inward slightly so as to disengage the retaining-points and then holding the sides of the recess slightly apart from each other, thus preventing the retaining-points from engaging with the back while the same is being withdrawn. On releasing the side cover its elasticity will cause the retaining-points to return to their normal position ready to re-engage with the back should it be further pulled outwardly. Thus, whatever the amount of matter contained within IIO the file-binder, I am by means of my improve ment enabled to present a closely-fitting and properly-shaped back, and also to Very largely increase the capacity of the file-binder by providing it with an adjustable back of much greater extent and corresponding capacity than could formerly be employed without entirely disfiguring the appearance of the filecover. By recessing A similarly to B a still larger back 0 may be employed and the ultimate capacity of the file-binder correspondingly increased.

It is not absolutely essential to the operation of my invention that the temporarily unemployed portions of my elongated adjustable back 0 should be contained within a recess in one of the side covers of the binder, or that such recess should extend, as shown in the drawings, throughoutthe entire width of such side cover. For instance, the pins a a might be supported upon a rod instead of upon the edge of the wall of such recess and the unemployed portions of the cover thus pass behind the pins and be rolled or stowed away beneath the cords c for further use; but I prefer a recess as presenting a neater appearance and as being calculated to preserve the back in smoother and better condition.

WVhatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a temporary binder, the extensible adjustable back 0, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In a temporary binder, the combination of a side cover B, having a recess, and an extensible adjustable back 0, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In a temporary binder, the extensible adjustable back 0, in combination With a side cover having attachment mechanism on one of its inside edges and a recess or space between such mechanism and edge and the other parts of said cover, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. In a temporary binder, a recessed side cover B, in combination with extensible back C and retaining mechanism 6, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. In a temporary binder,,the combination of side covers A B, one or more of which are recessed with back 0, cord 0, pins Ct at 1), substantially as and for the purpose described.

DANIEL MOYNAHAN. Witnesses:

WM. COTTER DICK, JOHN J. AHRENS. 

